ellow,
though neither of us knew it at the time.) "If ever you come to England
again I hope you will make this house your headquarters."

"And if ever you come to South Africa, Lord Ragnall, I hope you will
make my four-roomed shanty on the Berea at Durban your headquarters. You
will get a hearty welcome there and something to eat, but little more."

"There is nothing I should like better, Quatermain. Circumstances have
put me in a certain position in this country, still to tell you the
truth there is a great deal about the life of which I grow very tired.
But you see I am going to be married, and that I fear means an end
of travelling, since naturally my wife will wish to take her place in
society and the rest."

"Of course," I replied, "for it is not every young lady who has the luck
to become an English peeress with all the etceteras, is it? Still I
am not so sure but that Miss Holmes will take to travelling some day,
although I _am_ sure that she would do better to stay at home."

He looked at me curiously, then asked,

"You don't think there is anything really serious in all this business,
do you?"

"I don't know what to think," I answered, "except that you will do well
to keep a good eye upon your wife. What those Easterns tried to do last
night and, I think, years ago, they may try again soon, or years hence,
for evidently they are patient and determined men with much to win.
Also it is a curious coincidence that she should have that mark upon her
which appeals so strongly to Messrs. Harut and Marut, and, to be brief,
she is in some ways different from most young women. As she said to
me herself last night, Lord Ragnall, we are surrounded by mysteries;
mysteries of blood, of inherited spirit, of this world generally in
which it is probable that we all descended from quite a few common
ancestors. And beyond these are other mysteries of the measureless
universe to which we belong, that may already be exercising their strong
and secret influences upon us, as perhaps, did we know it, they have
done for millions of years in the Infinite whence we came and whither we
go."

I suppose I spoke somewhat solemnly, for he said,

"Do you know you frighten me a little, though I don't quite understand
what you mean." Then we parted.

With Miss Holmes my conversation was shorter. She remarked,

"It has been a great pleasure to me to meet you. I do not remember
anybody with whom I have found myself in so much sympathy